MP presses government on ex-PM’s Tyne Bridge funding commitment

A Member of Parliament is calling on the government to honor a commitment made by the previous prime minister regarding the Tyne Bridge refurbishment, specifically to provide the remaining £6m. Earlier this year, the Department for Transport allocated £35m for the repair of the crossing; however, additional funds are required to cover the total cost. Chi Onwurah, the MP for Newcastle Central and West, pressed ministers to uphold Rishi Sunak’s promise to cover all outstanding expenses. Roads minister Lilian Greenwood refrained from committing to fulfill that promise, but stated that the bridge’s “iconic” status would be taken into account during an upcoming spending review. The structure links Newcastle-upon-Tyne, situated on the River Tyne’s north bank, with Gateshead to its south. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, engineers have verified the discovery of an additional 100 defects on the bridge, adding to the 900 previously identified. In the summer, Transport secretary Louise Haigh disclosed her intention to initiate a review of her department’s capital expenditure portfolio, prompted by claims of £2.9bn in “unfunded transport commitments” reportedly made during the Conservative administration. During a session in the Commons on Thursday, Onwurah stated: “I do hope that the minister will be able to join us on the restored Tyne Bridge for its centenary celebrations in 2028. “However, she may be aware that an uplift to the funding announced under the previous government for the restoration has not yet materialised, and inflation and issues uncovered during the project have led to a rise in costs.” She pressed the minister to confirm that funds would be allocated for the complete restoration. Greenwood responded: “As with all schemes in the major road network programme, the department’s contribution is fixed once the scheme is approved and Newcastle City Council was awarded more than £35m towards the total cost of the scheme.” For updates, BBC North East can be followed on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Details regarding our approach to external linking are available.